Port Charlotte Closely Peated Islay Single Malt Islay Barley 2013
1. What they are saying
Our Port Charlotte Islay Barley expressions are a direct embodiment of all the things an Islay whisky can and ought to be. Conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on the island, with barley raised on our house shores by seven of our farming companions. Our Port Charlotte Islay Barley expressions are a direct embodiment of all the things an Islay whisky can and ought to be. Conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on the island, with barley raised on our house shores by seven of our farming companions.
In 2004, backing our drive for the last word “Islay” Islay single malt, farmer Raymond Stewart grew barley for us at Kentraw, only a mile from the distillery. His harvest was then malted and distilled individually – we imagine the primary time an Islay single malt had been made completely from 100% Islay grown grain.
The barley harvest for this 2013 classic was raised on our house shores in 2012 by seven of our Islay farming companions. Hunter Jackson at Cruach, Ian McKerrell at Island farm, Raymond Fletcher at Dunlossit property, Donald and Andrew Jones at Coull, Mark French at Rockside, Alastair Torrance at Mulindry and Raymond Stewart at Sunderland all undertook the chance of rising in difficult circumstances to ship the barley for this Scotch whisky with unparalleled provenance.
This Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2013 single malt has been matured in ex-American and ex-wine casks hailing from the Pessac-Leognan area of France. Closely peated and malted to 40 PPM, this eight-year-old single malt pays homage to its island house.
With redberry fruits, toasted oak notes and hints of espresso and chocolate, it gives a dramatic, smoky end.
2. Official tasting notes
- The nostril opens with delicate floral notes of lily and geranium earlier than heat orange zest and dried earthy peat smoke brings physique and gravity. Banoffee pie and digestive biscuit come out from behind the peat smoke and carry ahead this dram’s malty, fruity character. Cherry coconut and malted barley counterbalance apricot and melon. Candy and engaging; the oak and the excellent peppery phenolic notes are balanced completely with the fruit and floral type of our gradual, cautious fermentation and distillation.
- The primary style is a wondrous factor; abruptly the salinity, ripe fruit, gentle peat smoke, and candy oak present their presence in a whirl of complexity. There may be nice texture from the spirit and its maturation permits a delicate almond observe to mix with coconut, caramel, vanilla, and muscovado sugar. The peat smoke is fantastically balanced. It’s a dram that’s mild on the palate but has an amazing depth of flavour.
- The end is as soon as extra completely balanced. The smoke, fruit, oak and floral notes soften into one another, and a ravishing creamy texture permits melon, peach and cherry to return via earlier than dwindling into the dry embers of peat within the fireplace.
3. Particulars
- ABV 50%
- Age 8 Years Previous
- Bottler OB
- Bottling Islay Barley 2013
- Cask American Oak, French Wine End
- Class Single malt scotch whisky
- Value £75
- Origin Bruichladdich Distillery
- Area Islay, Scotland
- Launched 2021
4. What I say
Bruichladdich’s Port Charlotte closely peated expression with an additional kick of Islay stemming from it’s distillation from barley grown on Islay. Matured in American oak ex-Bourbon casks for 7 years. Then 25% was completed in 1st fill Pessac-Léognan French wine casks earlier than marrying again with the unique parcel.
5. The Whiskyphiles tasting notes
- Color Mid gold (8/20) beaded, quite a few medium-fine tears and tremendous legs.
- Nostril Malty and smoky with only a contact of salinity, nutty hazelnut, shellfish and ozone, musty coal mud, recent apple and lemon citrus, vanilla, smoky bbq, honey-glazed ham.
- Style Full-bodied, wealthy with malty sugars, caramel, honey, bbq sauce, treacle tarts, salted caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, citrus zest, grapefruit, a touch of engine oil and toasted coconut.
- End Lengthy, candy peat smoke and drier wooden smoke.
6. General
Smoky and coastal precisely as I anticipated, fairly mealy and natural in locations and a few sweetness and nutty nature, maybe from the ending?
7. Rating 86/100
